STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL
by ShadiyaRay
Summary: Aoshi must confess his feelings to Misao or lose her forever.
1. Prolouge

DISCLAIMER… Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me.   
  
Aoshi Shinomori is extremely hot, and I wish that he did, but he doesn't. Why can't I have some type of magical powers so that I could wish them into existence? I would have never finished school thus disappointing my parents. Oh well, God knows best.   
  
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"I've been watching your world from afar.  
  
I've been trying to be where you are.  
  
And I've been secretly failing apart unseen.  
  
To me, you're strange and you're beautiful.  
  
You be so perfect with me, but you just,   
  
Can't see, you turn every head, but you don't see me.  
  
I'll put a spell on you, you'll fall asleep when I   
  
put a spell on you, when I wake you, I'll be the first thing you see.  
  
And you'll realize that you love me."  
  
Aqualung- Strange and Beautiful, (I'll put a spell on you)  
  
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Aoshi Shinomori. Even his name evoked immense absolute bliss when she uttered his name as it came from her vocal cords causing them to vibrate with ecstasy as the words passed her lips.   
  
Aoshi Shinomori.  
  
Strange.  
  
She had spent many hours just staring at him, trying to figure out the enigma known as Aoshi Shinomori. But try as she might, she never did. He was so complex. She wondered what his feelings for her were. Did he still view her as a child, although now she was fully grown? She was now eighteen years of age, and he still regarded her as though she were eight. He seemed to always be hiding something. Guarding something deep within him that he refused to let anyone see. She had tried to pierce the hard solid barrier that he placed around himself, but had failed countless times.   
  
Beautiful.   
  
She had stared at his beauty innumerous times and had become entranced by it. It was as if he had unknowingly cast a spell upon anyone who stared at him. Sheer unadulterated, undiluted, beauty. He was the handsomest man she had ever laid eyes on. His ice blue eyes always seemed to see straight through her. She had dreamed of being merged with him to the point that they became one. It often hurt her to know that he would never be hers. No matter how hard she tried he would never return the love that she had for him. The truth of it hurt her so much she often found herself crying when thinking of him. One moment she would be filled with happiness and the next with sadness. She could not explain it.   
  
He was like a drug. She would get intoxicated off of his presence and when he left, she would crave him. Crave him so much that she would shake uncontrollably and loose coherent thought and control of her emotions until he came again, giving her what she so craved.   
  
No person should have that much power over someone. Especially a person who didn't want to have that kind of power. She knew that Aoshi knew her feelings for him, but what he didn't know was how deep those feeling were. She had long since passed the point where her obsession with him would be considered a teenage crush. She was beyond that. Sometimes she thought that she was beyond love, if such a thing were possible. She loved him and then it went beyond that. Why couldn't he see that? Why couldn't he feel it? It was clear for all to see, in her eyes. Maybe he chose not to see? So day after day she fell more and more deeply beyond love with Aoshi Shinomori.  
  
Aoshi Shinomori, strange and beautiful.   
  
**** ***** ****** *********** ****************** *************** **********  
  
Hi Guys. I am absolutely in love with Aoshi Shinomori. I know, I know, I have fallen for just about every good looking man on ANIME.  
  
Aoshi Shinomori   
  
Kenshin Himura  
  
Sanosuke Sagara  
  
Inuyasha (I want to marry him!!)  
  
Miroku  
  
Seto Kaiba  
  
The list goes on and on.   
  
Seriously though, give me feedback on this. Should I continue with this story? 


	2. Upon Waking

DISCLAIMER… I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.   
  
This is going to be my first serious fic. In the past, my fics have had humor, but this one is going to be truly angst and truly serious.  
  
Chapter One  
  
Upon Waking. (POV OF MISAO)  
  
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Misao opened her eyes slowly and then shut them back tightly again as the bright sun streamed in through her window. She slowly opened them again and stared at the ray of sunshine that came through her window to rest on the floorboard some feet away from her futon. She watched with dull fascination as the light of the sun revealed the little bits of dust and lint that were in the room. They seemed to be dancing in the sun light, perhaps overjoyed that someone had finally noticed them-paid attention to them.   
  
When would she be noticed? When would the special someone in her life pay her attention? She closed her eyes as her vision began to blur and swallowed hard-forcing the tears away and the sobs back down her throat to the pit of her stomach.   
  
She immediately got up, placed her futon away and went to take a bath. It was very early in the morning and the sun had not even risen as of yet, so the others were still asleep.   
  
He was still asleep.   
  
Once she had taken her bath she reentered her room and proceeded to dress. She had long since stopped wearing her ninja outfit-that she had outgrown-and had started wearing kimonos when she worked inside the restaurant and basic black ninja pants with black shirt when she was practicing.   
  
She placed on her Kimono and proceeded to the kitchen where she started preparing morning tea. In a little while everyone would be waking up and she wanted to make sure that tea was prepared. More than two years ago she had been the one that grandpa and the others had to wake up, but now…  
  
Every since Aoshi had come back to them, she had not been able to sleep. Her rest was always broken and she found herself always waking up in the middle of the night crying. She could not go on this way. She had to think of something. She had made it up in her mind the night before that today she would confront him and tell him how she truly felt. She would lay everything on the line and pray for the best. She would tell Aoshi that she loved him.   
  
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Aoshi had already gone to the temple for training and Misao had missed the chance to tell him that she had something that she wished to speak to him about. She had been waiting on a table and when she came back into the kitchen, Omasu had told her that Aoshi had gone to temple. Misao would have to wait until lunch time when she always took him his tea and food for her chance to speak with him.  
  
It seemed like hours upon hours but lunch time had finally come and now Misao was standing in front of the stairs to the temple where Aoshi went to meditate each day. She stared up at the long stairs that would lead to either her happiness or her sadness. She took a deep calming breath and walked up the stairs to the temple entrance. She entered the temple to find Aoshi where he always was-sitting on the floor with his legs tucked under him and his hands resting on his thighs with his eyes closed.  
  
She could just stare at him forever. He was so handsome. How could a man be so beautiful that every time she saw him it seemed as if she were seeing him for the first time? She waited in the doorway, staring at him. She knew that he knew that she was there. She stopped her admiring session and walked towards him. She sat the tray down in front of him and kneeled before him in a sitting position as well. She took the cloth off of the tray and began to pour them both tea-like she always did. Their conversations were never really long. They talked about every thing except what she wanted to discuss with him most.  
  
She continued to stare at him in fascination as his eyes remained closed. Then suddenly, his eyes opened and pinned her. She could not break away as he returned her stare. He always did that. She did not know if he did it intentionally to intimidate her or what. What ever the reason she always was the one to look away but she could not stare at his eyes that long without thinking that she was revealing something, but not today. She would not break his stare. Today she would make *him* break. Her heart rate speed up and it sounded so loud in her ears that she was sure that he could hear it.   
  
They continued to stare at one another for what seemed like eons.  
  
"Misao, is there something that you wish to speak to me about?" Aoshi asked never breaking his hold on Misao.  
  
Misao's eyes widened in shock but she quickly regained her composure. How did he know that she wished to speak to him?  
  
"Yes, Aoshi-sama," she stated trying to sound strong willed. She would not back down today.   
  
He waited for her to finish as he continued to stare into her dark blue eyes as she stared into his.   
  
"Aoshi," she said, dropping the honorific from his name.  
  
"Ever since I was a little girl, I have always looked up to you. At first, it was just admiration and then it turned into something much deeper. I am sure that you know that I have had these feelings for you for quite a while. Everyone knows how I feel about you, but I realize that I have not told you personally."   
  
Misao swallowed and took another deep breath trying to settle her nerves.  
  
"Aoshi, I… I love you," there, I've said it she thought silently to herself.  
  
"Aoshi Shinomori, I Misao Makamachi am in love with you," she smiled and took in a deep breath. It felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and her chest. She felt light headed and giddy.  
  
She stared at Aoshi waiting for him to reply. He then looked away and stared at the tray that was before them.   
  
He broke her stare. Was this good? She had won, right?  
  
They stayed that way in silence until she could not bare the silence anymore.   
  
"Well?" she asked. She could not see his eyes because his bangs covered them.  
  
"Misao, I am sorry, but…"  
  
Uh Oh. Sorry and a but in one sentence did not mean good. Misao waited holding her breath.  
  
"There can never be anything between us as you have hoped. I had hoped that you would move on and find a young man worthy of you. Okina has told me that there have been many suitors that have asked for your hand, but you have turned them all down. I want you to consider courting one of them."  
  
Misao felt her heart shatter as if the monk Anji himself had used his attack on it and demolished it to nothing.   
  
Tears threatened to blur her vision and pain tore through her very soul. She was being rejected.   
  
Aoshi looked up at her with a look of remorse in his eyes. "Misao, I want you to forget about me. Forget about there ever being anything between us. I want you to live your life Misao."  
  
"How can I live my life without you?" she cried. "Aoshi, I know that you think of me as a child still, but I am not. I am a grown woman who knows how she feels and I tell you that there can never be another for me. NEVER!"  
  
Aoshi sighed heavily. "Misao, I do not share the same feelings that you have about me. I am sorry."  
  
Misao felt sobs starting to rack her body so she quickly got up and ran out of the temple. She ran down the stairs crying all the way and then through the forest. She tripped over a boulder into the soft lush grass. She remained there and let the sobs rack her body. Her whole world had vanished. Aoshi-sama did not love her. He did not love her. She cried herself to sleep trying to find peace within her dreams.   
  
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Depressing ne? I told you that it would be sad and serious minded.   
  
Shady ? 


	3. Coming To Terms

Disclaimer.I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.  
  
/ / / /Coming To Terms  
  
/ / / / / / Aoshi's POV  
  
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Misao.  
  
Who knew that one person could have so much effect on someone that their presence or lack of could cause serious heart wrenching emotions.  
  
Misao.  
  
Aoshi sat quietly in the temple forcing himself to not run after her. It surprised him how he could be so cold sometimes. Especially to the person that he cared about most.  
  
Misao.  
  
He knew what she wanted to ask him the moment she stepped into the temple. He could feel it. He saw her questioning glaze and knew before she even spoke the words what she wanted to say. He had to stop her. Make her see reason. There could never be anything between them. She deserved much better. He was not worthy of her love. He was not worthy of anyone's love.  
  
Especially Misao.  
  
The temple still seemed to house her screams as she yelled at him the moment before she left the temple. He was still haunted by the crest fallen look in her beautiful sea foam eyes. It took all he had to not run after her. Hold her and deny what he had just coldly spoken to her. He did love her. He loved her from the first moment he set eyes on her when she was just a baby. Of course it was a different type of love then. He had not realized how it had turned into something more until after his fight with Himura and Shishio. When he had come back to the Aoiya, he was not prepared for the sight that awaited him  
  
Although sixteen, she was a sight to behold. She was blooming into a beautiful young woman. He remembered how he had tried to keep his thoughts from wandering telling himself that she was just too young for him. Now she was eighteen and suitors had been to the Aoiya in droves. Misao had turned each and every one down although they continued to come. He could not blame them. If he thought himself worthy of her affection-her love- he would have never given up either. Although the very thought of another man touching her, holding her, kissing her, making love to her, angered him beyond measure-he could not interfere.  
  
He sighed heavily and stood up. He would get no meditation done today. He had to get away from here. Even the temple reminded him of Misao. He looked down at the now cold tea and Miso soup. Usually Misao would chat about the events of the day or about Kaoru and Kenshin's son Kenji while he listened to the melodic sway of her voice.  
  
Her voice.  
  
When she said his name, he felt as if his insides would melt away. He had envisioned her saying his name over and over again in ecstasy while he.  
  
STOP THIS!! He told himself. It was not right. She was too young. Wasn't she? Aoshi stepped over the forgotten tray of food and exited the temple. Normally Misao would have taken the tray back with her to the Aoiya. He would have taken it back today but he did not wish to be around the others just yet. That's why he woke up before most of them stirred and returned when they were all asleep. He needed some time. He definitely could not go back right now. He did not need to hear or see Misao's face. He did not need to hear Okina's words.  
  
Aoshi walked down the steps of the temple and entered the forest leading back to the Aoiya. He walked three steps and then stopped. He felt Misao's presence. Strongly.  
  
He turned to his right and there and behold was Misao, sleeping in the wild grass with the light of the late afternoon sun shining on her beautiful face. Her unbound hair lay in a cloud of raven blackness around her. She looked like some other worldly being. A goddess who had decided to recline upon the soft lush green grass and had undecidedly taken a rest.  
  
Misao.  
  
He did not know why she chose that particular spot to rest. Had he upset her that much? He stared at her trying to rationalize how he was going to wake her. He could not leave her there. He had to wake her, but he had not wished to see her this soon. She as well as he had not had time to recover from their encounter only moments ago. He could take her back to the Aoiya but he knew that if he touched her, he would lose control. He would ravish her. He would not be able to stop. He wanted to consume her. Completely. What must he do?  
  
After three minutes of arguing with himself he finally decided that that best thing to do would be to wake her and send her back to the Aoiya. He bent down next to her and lightly touched her shoulder.  
  
"Misao."  
  
She groaned a little and uttered a sigh. That innocent gesture caused his blood to heat rapidly. He took a deep steadying breath and tried to shake her awake again.  
  
"Misao."  
  
This time Misao slowly opened her eyes and stared at him. The longing in her glaze told him so much. He knew that the young woman below him whom he used to care for from a small infant to now wanted him. She had always looked up to him, but this time was different. He truly saw what she desired of him in her glaze and it scared him. He saw how much she wanted him and it shook him to the core. Why had he not seen that before?  
  
Okina had told him that Misao desired him as a woman would a man, but he dismissed it. How could she know the desires between a man and woman? She was innocent and naïve. She did not know such things.  
  
"Aoshi-sama?" The look in her eyes pleaded with him.  
  
"Misao, why are you sleeping here in the grass?" It was all he could say.  
  
She seemed to be taken a back by his question as if she had not known that only moments ago she had been asleep in the grass. She looked around trying to gain some familiarity. Then she pinned him again with those big beautiful eyes and caused his heart to beat frantically to the point that it was ringing in his ears. I am behaving like some inexperienced teenage boy he thought.  
  
"I don't remember," she said.  
  
He knew that she was lying. Hadn't he just lied to her too?  
  
"Come, let me take you back to the Aoiya," he said as he stood.  
  
Misao tried to follow his gaze as he stood, but the light of the sun shielded his head when he stood up and stopped her from doing so.  
  
"No."  
  
Aoshi was startled. Did Misao just tell him no?  
  
"I do not wish to go back to the Aoiya as of yet. I need to get my thoughts together."  
  
He understood. He needed to do the same before he went back as well.  
  
"Very well, but I would feel much better if you got up and went someone else to sleep then out here in the open leaving yourself unguarded."  
  
She laughed bitterly. "Why Aoshi, I didn't know you cared."  
  
She was obviously referring to what he had said earlier.  
  
"I did not say that I did not care Misao, just that I did not return the feelings that you had for me."  
  
"Whatever." She said frustrated as she got to her feet and turned to walk away from him.  
  
He did not know what possessed him but he grabbed her arm to stop her exit.  
  
She glared at him angrily. It hurt. She had never once glared at him in such a manner. She had never been this mad with him.  
  
"Let me go," she said as she snatched her arm from his grasp.  
  
He let her.  
  
"Misao, I am sorry," he said apologizing.  
  
"Yeah, well, you always are Aoshi. You always are." She said in a condescending tone as she turned again to walk away from him.  
  
Again he did not know what possessed him. "What is that supposed to mean?" He asked her departing figure.  
  
She stopped suddenly. "I really don't wish to discuss this with you right now."  
  
"Why not?" He asked.  
  
She laughed again but she would still not face him. "I went to the temple today to discuss this with you, but you made it clear that you did not."  
  
She then took a heavy sigh and her shoulders seemed to slump.  
  
"I am tired. I am so very tired. I have been nothing but patient with you. I kept telling myself that all you needed was for someone to show you love. Real love. I thought that maybe I would be the one to break that cold shell that you encased your heart within. I would tell you and show you how much I loved you and then it would melt the coldness and the Aoshi Shinomori that I knew as a little girl would come back to me. I guess that I was wrong."  
  
"Misao."  
  
"No! I was wasting my time. I should have fell in love with one of the many courtiers that I turned away, but I could not. I still can not. I am still in love with you. How sad is that?"  
  
Aoshi felt his heart shatter at her words. He had not known that he had caused her such pain.  
  
"Goodbye Aoshi. I need some time alone to think." With that said, she disappeared from his sight as the forest engulfed her.  
  
He did not know how long he had stood there, but when he finally came out of his daze he realized that the sun was beginning to set. He decided to go to the Aoiya. He would go in the back entrance so as to not alarm anyone since he would be returning home earlier than usual. Perhaps with a good night's sleep things would be clearer in the morning. He needed to speak to Okina as well and discuss what needed to be done with the situation between him Misao. He could not deny in his heart that he did love her desperately but his mind kept interfering. She's too young. Remember when you held her as a baby?  
  
He quickly stopped the thoughts in his head and proceeded towards the Aoiya.  
  
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	4. Gone?

Disclaimer! I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, but I am in love with Aoshi Shinomori.  
  
Strange and Beautiful  
  
Chapter 4  
  
I know that it has been awhile, but here it is! I hope you enjoy!!  
  
GONE?!  
  
Aoshi turned over slightly and opened his eyes only to quickly close them and moan as the rays of sun coming from his window touched their sensitivity. He almost tucked the covers over his head and went back to sleep when realization dawned on him. He sat up abruptly and ran towards the window which faced the garden to see Okina pruning one of the many plants in the beautiful garden that was the pride of the elderly Oniwabanshuu member. Okina had been like a father to him ever since his own parents had been killed when he was a small child. Okina had took him in and taught him every thing that he knew. For that Aoshi would be eternally grateful. He still hung his head in shame when he thought about how he had almost killed Okina.  
  
As if he felt his presence, the old man looked up towards the window feigning surprise.  
  
"Aoshi?" he yelled. "I thought that you were already at the temple today? Do you know what time it is?"  
  
Aoshi glanced around and noticed the position of the sun in the sky and determined that it was close to mid afternoon. He had never slept that late! He quickly turned from the window and dressed immediately. He wished to talk to Okina about Misao but he did not expect to oversleep. Once he was dressed he went down immediately to the Aoiya, praying that he didn't see Misao along the way until he had spoken to Okina.  
  
Aoshi noticed that the Aoiya was deserted, when usually around this time it would be overcrowded. The kitchen was vacant as well. The dishes were still clean, nothing had been moved. Aoshi knew something was wrong.  
  
Misao! His mind screamed. Where was she? Where had everyone gone?  
  
Aoshi immediately walked to the garden and found Okina standing under a pagoda tree with a look of deep thought upon his wise features. The sun shown through the tree and bathed the old man in patches of surreal light. The light seemed to make him appear wiser than normal. Like some fairytale wizard. Aoshi started towards him when Okina replied.  
  
"She's gone," he said calmly as he continued to stare into nothing as he stood under the tree.  
  
Aoshi halted as he felt his heart stop beating. Misao was gone? Had he driven her away? Of course he had. Immediately Aoshi felt a guiltiness so consuming that it threatened to weaken him.  
  
"She went to the Kamiya Dojo to stay with Kaoru and Kenshin for awhile. Omasu and the others went with her to the train to see her off. She left some time ago. The next train should be arriving soon if you wanted to visit Kenshin as well. Aoshi smiled internally. In his own subtle way Okina had given him his blessing to court Misao, but he still felt unworthy of her love.  
  
"Aoshi a man regrets many things in his life. And when you get to be my age, you realize what things are truly important. I guess what I am saying to you is to not be regretful. No matter how much you try to justify it, being with someone is much better than being lonely." With that said Okina retreated further back into the garden.  
  
Aoshi pondered his words and then abruptly turned and headed towards the train station. He had taken no more than three steps when he heard Okina yell out to him. "Mr. Fujita came by here earlier today also and stated that he needed to discuss something with you once you arrived at the dojo as well."  
  
Saitou? What could the ex Shinsengumi leader want with him? Aoshi had a bad feeling as he walked towards the train station. He knew that things would only get worst before they would become better.  
  
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Misao sat by the window of the train and stared out at the beautiful and serene countryside. She let her mind wander effortlessly back to her last encounter with Aoshi. When he grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away from him, she felt weak, breathless. A shock of pleasure and longing for more contact from him passed through her with so much intensity.  
  
And she hated it.  
  
She hated that he had such a hold on her.  
  
She hated that she loved him so much.  
  
Why did she have to fall so hard for a person who wanted nothing to do with her? Last night she had come back to Aoiya, went to her room and cried her eyes out. When morning came, she had already packed her things and resolved to cry no more for a love that would never be.  
  
Kaoru and Kenshin had told her that she could visit anytime she wanted so now seemed like a perfect time than any. She wanted and needed to have some distance from Aoshi. Maybe she would be able to move on if she didn't have to see him everyday. Of course she would be showing up unexpected at the Kamiya Dojo but she didn't think that Kaoru or Kenshin would mind. Besides she had sent a carrier pigeon ahead of her early this morning apologizing for the unexpected intrusion.  
  
Her mind continued to wander as she stared blindly out of her window.  
  
"Is anyone sitting here?" A masculine voice asked.  
  
Misao cringed at the sound of the voice. Could her week not get any worse? She knew whom the voice belonged to without looking away from the picturesque view of the lush Japanese countryside.  
  
"Weasel, I asked you a question," said Hajime Saitou, also known as Gorou Fujita. His narrow amber eyes stared at Misao as she continued to keep her back to him as she looked out of the window.  
  
"And if I said that it was taken?" She asked nonchalantly.  
  
"I would just sit down anyway," he stated as he took his seat across from her by the window.  
  
They sat in silence for minutes until he finally replied again.  
  
"I might as well just get up and go sit somewhere else weasel if you are not going to provide me with any conversation."  
  
Misao rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat to face him. She really wanted to spend the rest of the trip in silence. She had too much on her mind and needed time to think. Hajime Saitou was not a good distraction. She was actually cherishing the few minutes that he remained quiet.  
  
"You know Saitou it would make the rest of my trip so much more pleasant if you did just that. I am sure that there are many people aboard this train who would just love your company."  
  
"Sarcasm does not suit you well weasel. Why are you so damn cocky? Furthermore, where are you going? I don't see your precious Shinomori around. Heaven forbid that he is somewhere without his shadow."  
  
Misao was starting to see red. She quickly closed her eyes and counted to ten to try and calm herself down. She was not angry at Saitou for what he said, she was angry because it was true. She HAD been following Aoshi around constantly. What humiliated her more than anything was that he knew and everyone knew that she had been chasing him like some love sick puppy and now she was sure that everyone at the Aoiya was thinking, poor Misao. She didn't need to feel their pity or Aoshi's. She needed to get away for as long as it took to get over him.  
  
"Weasel?"  
  
Misao rolled her eyes again. She had forgotten that he was still sitting there.  
  
"You'll still here?"  
  
"What is wrong with you weasel? Shinomori finally succeeded in breaking your heart completely this time?"  
  
His question caught her off guard as she looked into amber depths.  
  
She suddenly felt a wave of sadness and quickly looked away as tears began to fill her eyes.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it," she said surprised that her voice came out sounding sterner than she felt.  
  
Saitou seemed to have taken a hint and dropped the subject.  
  
"I take it that you are heading to visit the Battousai and his woman?"  
  
She nodded. "Why were you here in Kyoto? Isn't your command post near where Kenshin lives?"  
  
"Yes, but I was taking care of some police business. In fact, I came to the Aoiya looking for Shinomori earlier this morning, but the old man, Okina told me that Aoshi would be coming to visit Kenshin so I decided to head back and wait for him there."  
  
All Misao heard was that Aoshi would be visiting Kenshin.  
  
AOSHI WOULD BE VISITING KENSHIN!!  
  
Misao started to hyperventilate. Suddenly everything seemed a blur and the last thing she remembered was Saitou calling her name before her world was penetrated with darkness.  
  
********* *********** ********** ************ ************ **************** *************** Misao woke up to see Saitou standing over her with a look of concern across his features.  
  
"What happened?" She asked as she tried to sit up only to be hit with a wave of dizziness that caused her to fall back onto the seat that she was lying across.  
  
"You fainted," stated Saitou in his usual nonchalant voice.  
  
"I gathered that much, but why?"  
  
Saitou was about to reply when she heard a deep voice behind her reply.  
  
"Damn Misao, you sure did fill out rather nicely!"  
  
"YAHIKO! WATCH YOUR MOUTH!" Kaoru yelled some distance away.  
  
Misao smiled and sat up quickly ignoring the dizziness to face Yahiko.  
  
To her side stood Little Yahiko only now he was Big Yahiko. Big handsome Yahiko.  
  
"You don't look so bad yourself Yahiko. I guess that I won't be able to call you little Yahiko anymore huh?"  
  
Yahiko smiled and blushed considerably.  
  
"Mi Mi!" Yelled Kenji as he ran forward and hugged Misao's legs.  
  
"Kenji! My, my, you have grown up as well," she said as she picked up the laughing 3 year old and gave him a big hug as well.  
  
"Mi Mi!" He exclaimed smiling happily.  
  
"Misao!" Kaoru sat down beside her and gave her a humongous hug that encompassed her and Kenji together. Kenji giggled some more. It amazed Misao how much the little boy child resembled his father.  
  
"We are happy that you have come to visit us Misao, that we are," said Kenshin as he stood some feet away in the walkway of the train beside Yahiko.  
  
"Thanks Himura. I hope that I am not intruding?"  
  
"Nonsense! We have been waiting for you to visit us. It's been so long since your last visit and Kenji has been asking about you everyday," said Kaoru.  
  
"Mi Mi!" Exclaimed Kenji again as he hugged Misao around her neck.  
  
Misao closed her eyes and held the child tightly in her arms. God, this is what she wanted. She wanted to someday have a family like this. To have a son or a daughter with the man that she loved. A son who resembled Aoshi and a daughter that resembled her.  
  
AOSHI! Suddenly things started coming back to her.  
  
"Ahem!"  
  
Everyone looked towards Saitou who was standing across the cabin from where Misao, Kenji and Kaoru sat with his arms folded across his chest.  
  
"This is touching and all, but I feel as though I am becoming nauseous and this train does have a schedule to keep, so can we all please exit. I have some business that I need to discuss with the Battousai."  
  
Misao rolled her eyes at Saitou as she gave Kenji to Kaoru because she did not trust herself to stand, let alone with a child.  
  
She tested her legs and stood up with help from Saitou as he held her arm for support.  
  
Kaoru stood up with Kenji and addressed Misao as Saitou removed her bags from the storage compartment above their heads.  
  
"When we arrived at the train station Saitou yelled for us to come aboard because you had fainted. He said that you slept the whole trip. Are you ok Misao?"  
  
Misao nodded her head. Actually she was not ok. She had remembered why she fainted in the first place. She was trying to get away from Aoshi and here he was headed on his way to the only place where she could find some solitude. What was she going to do? She needed to speak to Kaoru in private. Kaoru always knew what to do.  
  
************** *************** *************** ****************** **********************  
  
They exited the train and used Saitou's carriage to ride to the dojo. Kenshin stayed outside the gate to speak with Saitou in private as Kaoru, Kenji, Misao and Yahiko went inside.  
  
"What is it Saitou? What business do you have with me?"  
  
"Are you not going to ask me inside, for old time's sake? Maybe we can reminisce about the good ole days over some Sake?"  
  
"Saitou, we never had any 'good ole days,' and I would much rather forget the olden days than to sit down and reminisce about them with you."  
  
Saitou smirked as he stood leaning across the bamboo fence that surrounded the dojo. He and Kenshin could never be alone with one another for more than a few minutes. They were too much alike. Saitou wished that he could forget the past as well, but he could not run away from what made him the man he was today. He knew that Kenshin had devoted his life to protecting the innocent and had sworn to never kill another soul, but Saitou could not make that promise. He had taken a vow to slay evil immediately, no matter what, and he had to stick to it.  
  
"Your loss," he shrugged his shoulders and reached inside his pocket for his cigarettes. He lit one and took a long drawl before he spoke again.  
  
"It seems that Shinomori was more busy than usual after his first fight with you. On his quest to gain more strength to defeat you and become 'The Best,' he did a lot of evil things along the way. One of those 'things' has come back to haunt him."  
  
Kenshin absorbed the info with calmness. He knew that Aoshi had done some terrible things in order to prepare himself to fight him during the battle with Shishio but he did not know to what extent. Aoshi's eyes had been pure evil when they fought last and Kenshin had silently prayed that he could bring him back to Misao.  
  
"Have you told Misao about this?"  
  
Saitou took another drag on his cigarette and released the smoke, "no, I did not deem it necessary. Besides she worships him so much, she doesn't believe that he could do any wrong."  
  
"Does Aoshi know this?"  
  
"No. I went there earlier today but Okina told me that Aoshi was on his way here. I was surprised to find Misao alone by herself on the train, but it appears that she and Shinomori had some type of argument. He should be arriving later on today on the next train because he was not on the one that Misao and I were aboard. I was going to come by tomorrow to inform him."  
  
"How bad is it?"  
  
Saitou dropped the cigarette and put it out by grinding it into the dirt road. He then held glazes with Kenshin.  
  
"Very bad." 


	5. White Flag

STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
White Flag  
  
Misao played with Kenji while Kaoru and Kenshin prepared dinner underneath a serene and clear blue sky.  
  
"What are you guys cooking for dinner?" Misao asked as she picked up Kenji and twirled him around up in the air. Kenji squealed in delight.  
  
"Your favorite. Miso soup," said Kenshin as he wearily eyed Kaoru who was placing something in the pot.  
  
"Thanks Himura!" Exclaimed Misao.  
  
"Thank you, thank you!" Exclaimed Kenji mocking Misao.  
  
When Misao had entered the dojo and had settled in, she and Kaoru had briefly talked about why she had come there in such a hurry. Misao did not have time to go into full detail, but she did tell Kaoru that she needed to get away from Aoshi. Imagine her surprise when Saitou had told her that Aoshi was headed her way. Kenshin had confirmed the same. Misao wanted to bolt but Kaoru calmed her down enough by telling her that it was likely that she would have no contact with Aoshi since he would be working on a case with Saitou. That calmed Misao down somewhat.  
  
Later on that night, Yahiko had asked her to double date with him and Tsumbame. He had stated that he had a friend that was visiting in town and that they were all going to see a play and then go out for drinks later. She had graciously accepted. Maybe a new guy would take her mind off of Aoshi.  
  
After dinner, Kaoru had left Kenji with Kenshin as she and Misao had taken a walk.  
  
Both women sat out by the water's edge by the river some distance away from the dojo. Misao had went over what had happened between her and Aoshi and how she just had to leave and have some time away to get her thoughts together. She surly didn't want to see the pitying looks of her fellow Oniwabanshuu members.  
  
Kaoru listened intently and when Misao was finished she came to a decision.  
  
"Stay here Misao, for as long as you like. I think that it would best for you."  
  
"Thanks Kaoru, I knew that you would understand," said Misao smiling at her closest friend.  
  
Kaoru reached over and placed her hand on Misao's reassuringly.  
  
"Of course Misao. I understand perfectly."  
  
Aoshi Shinomori arrived in front of the police department of where Captain Gorou Fujita was stationed. He had come up with a million reasons as to why the man, also known as Hajime Saitou wanted to speak with him. All of them were valid reasons, but what unnerved him were the ones that he dared not venture to fully think about. What if something from his past was coming back to haunt him? Could he deal with it? Could he handle it? What would Misao think of the man that she deemed to be perfect? He could handle anything but he could not handle disappointing her. But was that not what he had done when he had sent her away?  
  
He entered the station and walked towards Saitou's office eliciting looks from everyone in the station as he walked with the swagger of a dangerous predator. No one dared to get in his way and he walked to Saitou's office, opened the door and stepped in.  
  
Aoshi quickly closed the door as he stared at Fujita going over some paperwork with one of his officers. Without looking back at the man or the paperwork, Saitou told the man to leave.  
  
The officer grabbed the paperwork, took one last look at Aoshi and immediately left the office, closing the door softly behind him.  
  
Saitou took out his pack of cigarettes, took one out and lit it up. He took one long draw and released the smoke before he spoke.  
  
"Long time, Shinomori."  
  
"What do you want of me?" Said Aoshi in his coldest voice. It often amazed him just how cold he could sound.  
  
How cold he could be.  
  
"What, no reminiscing of old times?"  
  
Aoshi just continued to stare coldly at Saitou.  
  
Saitou sighed heavily as he took another drag of the cigarette.  
  
"No one has time anymore. Every thing is so rush rush. What ever happened to the good ole days when two warriors would sit down over a hot jug of sake and reminiscence about the battles that they've won and lost?"  
  
Aoshi continued to pin Saitou with his legendary cold stare.  
  
Saitou sighed once again and picked up a thick folder that was upon his desk and held it up for Aoshi to take.  
  
"You might want to sit down first," cautioned Saitou.  
  
Aoshi stepped forward into the dimly lit office and took the folder from Saitou suspiciously and remained standing while he opened it.  
  
What he saw made his knees weak and he wished he had taken Saitou's advice about sitting down.  
  
Saitou took another drag of his cigarette before he extinguished it in the jade ash tray upon his desk. "I knew you were a cold bastard Shinomori, but I didn't know that you were THAT cold."  
  
Aoshi did not need to see anymore of the contents of the folder as he threw the folder upon Saitou's desk.  
  
"Who else knows about this?"  
  
"No one."  
  
Aoshi mentally sighed relief.  
  
"No one else but myself, you and the Battousai."  
  
Aoshi felt his heartbeat quicken and his knees become weak again.  
  
"You told Himura!" Aoshi exclaimed.  
  
Saitou saw the subtle alertness and surprise in the man's eyes as he read the contents of the folder. He had been surprised. No doubt he had probably assumed that his past life would not catch up with him so soon.  
  
"He needed to know," was Saitou's only remark and he continued to study Shinomori.  
  
Aoshi thought quickly. Misao was staying with Himura and his wife while she was in town. Himura would never tell her so he was safe with Misao not knowing. Eventually he would have to tell her, but for now, he took comfort in knowing that she did not know what he had done that year before he had come back to Edo.  
  
However, Himura did know. He had always placed Himura in such high regard that he did not wish to see the disappointment on the man's face. Aoshi had hinted to him what he done on his path to become the strongest, but he had not gone into detail. He knew that he would someday have to pay for his crimes and he was prepared for that.  
  
Just not this soon.  
  
"Well, are you going to arrest me?"  
  
"Now, why would I do a thing like that when I need you to help me?"  
  
Confused, Aoshi stared at Saitou.  
  
"Help you?"  
  
"Yes. If you help me with this case, I will overlook this whole incident. No charges will be pressed against you."  
  
"What do I have to do?"  
  
Saitou smirked at the young man before him. "Fall in love."  
  
I know that this was terribly short, but I have been bad in updating and I wanted to give you guys something to think about.  
  
Next update will be this month.  
  
Promise.  
  
Shady!! 


	6. Thin Line Between Love and Hate

CHAPTER 6  
  
****Thin line between love and hate ****** ***** ***** ***** ****  
  
***It took some time, but here it is guys, I hope that you enjoy!!  
  
Misao sighed contently as she sat outside of the dojo underneath the stars. Dinner had been delicious and hilarious as Misao had listened to Sano, Megumi, Kenshin and Kaoru tell her about what had transpired while she had been away. Yahiko had been at the restaurant helping Tsumbame close. Once he had finished up there, he, Tsumbame and a male friend of Yahiko's were coming to take her out on a night on the town. Kenshin, Kaoru, Sano and Megumi had decided to take Kenji for an evening walk hoping that the warm night air would send energetic child to sleep soon. Misao had changed into a beautiful red silk Chinese dress that came to her knees and showed off her beautiful long legs. She waited patiently for their departure but her mind kept wandering back to Aoshi. She prayed silently that it was a good sign that he had had not shown up at the dojo. She could not face him so soon. She still needed time.  
  
She was so caught up in thinking about Aoshi that she was oblivious to everything around her. She did not hear footsteps approaching until the footsteps stopped some inches behind her. Misao felt an unknown presence behind her and immediately went became alert.  
  
"I hope you enjoyed your view, because it will be your last!" She yelled as she quickly spun around from her position on the landing of the dojo and knocked who ever her wound be attacker was off of his feet. The stranger landed with a thud onto the landing and Misao gently applied pressure with her foot to the unknown assailant's throat so as to not break his windpipe.  
  
Misao looked down upon the stranger and found that she did not recognize him.  
  
"Who are you!!" she screamed down at him as she applied more pressure.  
  
"What? MISAO!" Yelled Yahiko as he ran from the entrance of the dojo to where Misao and the stranger were.  
  
"Misao stop! He's my friend!" yelled Yahiko.  
  
Tsumbame appeared and immediately started laughing at the scene before her.  
  
Misao moved her foot quickly and addressed Yahiko.  
  
"He's your friend?" She asked confused.  
  
"Yeah," said Yahiko as he looked down upon his friend checking to make sure the young man was alright.  
  
Misao looked angrily down at the man who lay sprawled on the ground below.  
  
"IDIOT! Why the hell did you sneak up on me?" She asked Yahiko's friend who still lying on the landing.  
  
"Yeah! Why did you do that?" Tsumbame asked with a bit of amusement in her voice.  
  
Yahiko extended his hand to help him stand on feet. He looked at Misao and smiled as he rubbed his neck and throat.  
  
He cleared his throat and attempted to speak. "I wanted to see if all of the stories I've heard about the amazingly young leader of the Oniwabanshuu were real," he responded in a deep rich timber.  
  
"Oh really?" Asked Misao as she placed her hands on her hips which drew his attention there.  
  
Misao felt somewhat awkward under his intense stare and it made her strangely nervous. She knew that he was undressing her with his eyes. Which surprised her was that she did not mind.  
  
"So are you convinced?" She asked agitated.  
  
He perused her body once more and then his eyes meet hers. Misao saw intense deep passion in his gaze and it scared yet aroused her at the same time.  
  
"Very." He said seductively.  
  
Misao's eyes narrowed slightly and she turned to address Yahiko.  
  
"Don't tell me that this is the friend that I am supposed to go out with?" She asked.  
  
Yahiko began to rub the back of his neck and mumbled a yes.  
  
Tsumbame laughed again, which was really starting to get on Misao's nerves.  
  
"So, what is your name?" Misao asked him.  
  
"Yutarou," he said.  
  
"Well, Yutarou, just to give you a warning. Next time you want to prove if something is fact or fiction. ask first." Misao said as she turned from him and walked shaking her head. She had wanted to get some space from him because he was starting to make her feel things that she had only felt for one person. It was strange that she would be attracted to him. She had not even seen if he was really as handsome as she had seen him to be in the moonlight.  
  
"Hey, wait up," he called after her as she was making her way to the rear of the dojo.  
  
She stopped out of politeness and pivoted to see him approaching. The way he walked made her stare spellbound until he had stopped some feet in front of her.  
  
"What?" She asked trying to sound agitated.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry that I snuck up on you. Your right, it was stupid," he said sincerely as he smiled at her.  
  
"You got that right," she agreed.  
  
"I guess as far as first impressions go, I blew mine's huh? He asked as he continued to stare into her eyes. The light from the full moon and the lanterns in the yard showed Misao what she had assumed. He was handsome. Very handsome. He had short black hair, and big beautiful eyes although she could not tell their color in the moonlight, they still looked beautiful.  
  
"Well, you can always start over," she suggested.  
  
His smile became brighter which caused her to smile back at him against her will.  
  
What is this guy doing to me? She asked herself silently.  
  
"Hello, my name is Yutarou," he said as he extended his hand to her.  
  
"Hello Yutarou, my name is Misao," she said as she took his extended hand only to have him lift it up to his lips and kiss the back of her hand.  
  
She felt his warm breath across the top of her hand and Misao felt a hundred chills rack her body at once.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked as he noticed her fast movement of shaking her shoulders.  
  
"Fine, just fine. It was a breeze that caused a chill in me," she said to him. What the hell is wrong with me? She asked herself again silently.  
  
"Well, Misao, since we are starting over, how about we continue our original plan of hitting the town tonight?"  
  
"That would be nice," replied Misao somewhat spellbound.  
  
"You guys ready!" yelled Yahiko some distance away.  
  
"Yeah! We're coming! Yelled Yutarou back at Yahiko.  
  
"I promise to show you the best night of your life Misao," Yutarou whispered softly.  
  
Misao stared into his eyes and realized that he was sincere. "Something tells me that you will," She said smiling. ******************** ************************ ************************  
  
Aoshi left Saitou's office visibly shaken as he placed his hands in the pocket of his white trench coat as he walked oblivious to the many stares of the women on the street who whispered and smiled at the tall handsome young man with the beautiful blue eyes. It seemed as if his whole world was coming down upon him in a matter of days and there was nothing he could do to stop it. His past was catching up to him quickly and he felt as if he was going to drown in it.  
  
Saitou's plan was ridiculous but it could work if he pulled it off correctly. A lot of its success depended on how well of an actor he was. He had always been deemed a cold and ruthless bastard so that part was not too hard. The hard part would be facing Misao. He could not deny that in his heart he truly loved her, but she deserved better, right?  
  
He was so deep in thought that he did not heard his name being called until someone touched him lightly on his arm. Aoshi recognized the presence of the individual and smiled internally to himself.  
  
"It's been a long time Battousai," said Aoshi as he turned to face the red headed samurai.  
  
"Aoshi, I've told you about calling me that," said Kenshin as he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand.  
  
"I am sorry. You must forgive me, it is out of habit."  
  
"That's alright. How have you been?"  
  
Aoshi did not answer as he looked beyond Kenshin as his mind wandered back to Misao.  
  
Kenshin noticed and stared to speak again. "Aoshi."  
  
"Aoshi Shinomori!" Said Sanosuke as he approached the two men. "Long time no see."  
  
"Same to you, Sano." Replied Aoshi.  
  
Kenshin resigned to not ask Aoshi what he wished to ask him since Sano had stepped in. Kenshin was not sure if Aoshi wanted the man to know of what he wished to speak to him about.  
  
"What are you doing in town? Misao did not tell me that you were coming to town as well?" Said Sano.  
  
"I did not tell her that I was coming," said Aoshi.  
  
"Oh, I get it. You were going to surprise her." Stated Sano.  
  
"Something like that. I am on business for the Oniwabanshuu."  
  
"Oh." Said Sano scratching his head.  
  
"If your here on Oniwabanshuu business, shouldn't Misao know as well since she is your leader?" Sano asked.  
  
"Sano," said Kenshin smiling.  
  
"No, it's alright." Said Aoshi. "Sano, actually I'm here on a much more personal matter and I do not wish for Misao to be involved. I would be grateful to you if did not tell her."  
  
"Sure thing Aoshi," said Sano. "I apologize if it seemed as if I was prying."  
  
"No. That's fine. You have nothing to apologize for."  
  
Aoshi then turned his attention to Kenshin. "Tell me, Battousai.I mean Himura. Where are your wife and child?"  
  
"You know women. Sano and I left her and Miss Megumi who were looking at some silk to make a Kimono out of. Kenji was asleep in her arms."  
  
"Oh? Where is Misao?" Aoshi asked.  
  
"Misao went out on a date with Yahiko, Tsumbame and a male friend of Yahiko's. I thought it would do her some good to get out." Exclaimed Kenshin.  
  
"Don't you agree Aoshi?" Kenshin asked again as he carefully examined Aoshi.  
  
"Sure. I think that she should get out more. She is young and should enjoy herself," said Aoshi as nonchalantly as always.  
  
Damn, thought Kenshin silently to himself. The man had the façade of coldness down to an art form.  
  
Inside Aoshi was seething. She had gone out with some unknown man! How dare she? 'What, you thought that she would be waiting patiently for you as always. Did you not tell her that she should move on?' A small voice inside of him asked.  
  
"Will you be staying with us, while you are here?" Asked Kenshin.  
  
"No. I think that it would be better if I stayed in a hotel within the city." Stated Aoshi.  
  
"Missy isn't going to let you do Aoshi," Sano said.  
  
"I know, but it can't be helped. I do not wish to place anyone in danger."  
  
"Well, at least allow me to invite you to dinner tomorrow?" asked Kenshin. "We have a lot to discuss."  
  
"Then I will graciously accept," said Aoshi.  
  
"Good. I've been saving some bottles of special sake for an occasion such as this," said Sano.  
  
"I don't drink sake Sano. I have no tolerance for it."  
  
"Are you kidding?" Asked Sano.  
  
"No. I'm afraid not," said Aoshi.  
  
"Ah man! Oh well, that just means more for me," said Sano smiling.  
  
"See you tomorrow Aoshi," said Kenshin as he and Sano departed and left Aoshi standing alone on the semi crowed street.  
  
The sun was going down fast as Aoshi turned to retire back to the room he had rented upon entering town.  
  
******************* *********************** *************************  
  
"So, he is here?" Asked a beautiful Chinese woman with long sleek jet black hair and beautiful almond shaped dark brown eyes. The short black Chinese style dress that she was wearing showed off her thighs and legs as she sat in her chair with her legs crossed.  
  
"Yes. I saw him with my own eyes. He was talking to a short red headed man and a tall man whose hair was shaped like a rooster," said a man dressed in a European business suite.  
  
Many of the men within the European restaurant could not take their eyes off of the beautiful Chinese woman who sat with the European gentleman.  
  
She dipped her finger in the sake that she was drinking and traced the rim of the small jade cup that she had been drinking the rice liquor from. Images of the tall handsome man flooded her mind as she recalled nights of unbridled passion that she had enjoyed in his arms. She dipped her finger in the sake again and brought the finger back up to her lips and tasted it.  
  
"Aoshi Shinomori," she said seductively. "Where is he staying?"  
  
"My informants tell me that he is staying at one of the inns in town," the gentleman said again.  
  
"Which one?" She asked.  
  
The gentleman hesitated before he answered.  
  
She smiled and placed her finger back in the sake again and diverted her attention back to the gentleman sitting beside her. She placed her entire finger in her mouth, closed her eyes, and slowly pulled it back out and then nailed him with her eyes again.  
  
"Which one?" She asked again breathlessly.  
  
"The Akubeiko inn," the gentleman stated with his eyes glued to her red lips.  
  
"Thanks." She said she stood up to leave.  
  
"Mai Ying!" He called out to her.  
  
She stopped with her back facing him.  
  
"He's changed. He not the same man you know. The next time he breaks your heart, I won't be there to help you pick up the pieces."  
  
"Good. Because I don't want you to," she said as she continued to walk away without sparing him one glance.  
  
Mai Ying walked outside of the restaurant and breathed in the nice warm air and smiled. Finally. She had drawn him out after so many years. She remembered how shattered and broken she had been when he had left her. She promised herself that the next time she saw him that it would not be that way again. She had vowed to never ever give her heart to another man again. Aoshi Shinomori had made her fall in love with him and then he had made her hate him. Who ever said that there was thin line between love and hate must have been in her position.  
  
"Aoshi Shinomori," she said again to herself in a whisper as she walked towards his room in the Akubeiko inn. "You've hurt me once before, but I swear to you, it will never ever happen again."  
  
***Well, what do you guys think? I know, I know, more cliff hangers and I know that you are all dying to find out what was in that folder from the previous chapter.  
  
Maybe I will let you find out next time?  
  
Shady!! 


	7. Wasting My Time

Chapter 7 Disclaimer.I do not own Aoshi Shinomori, or Rurouni Kenshin. However, I do own my characters that I created, Mai Ying and Nitsugi.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
NOTE** Yutarou is not the Yutarou in the series. Someone had asked me if this was the same Yutarou but it is not. I was watching an old episode of Inuyasha, the one with the water demon and the water god, and I think that the little boy's name was Master Yutarou so for lack of placing in another name, I used that one. Yutarou is older than Yahiko by about three years.   
  
  
  
  
  
Wasting My Time  
  
  
  
"I don't think you understand, that what you're doing is not so cool. You think it's funny to mess with my mind, don't you? You know I like you, so you just tease me. You give me just enough to hang on and on. When you're just wasting my time. You're simply wasting my time. So quit wasting my time."  
  
Song lyrics by.  
  
Boomkat-'Waisting My Time.'  
  
** * * * * *  
  
Aoshi sat down upon the western style bed in his room at the Akubeiko inn and rubbed his aching temples. He was beginning to get a headache. The thought of Misao out with some young horny inexperienced brat plagued his thoughts constantly ever since Kenshin had told him of her date. But what was he worried about? Misao could take care of herself. Normally he would not be this worried but he had all but pushed her into the unknown young man's arms. An unknown young man whose arms would be all over Misao not to mention his hands. He became sick at the mere ideal and thought. There was no way that he was going to get any rest tonight. He could track her down and watch her. Just to make sure that she was ok. Right?  
  
He quickly changed his mind. Who was he to interfere in her life when it best suited him? He had no right. His eyes landed on the dark brown folder that was placed upon his wooden dresser. He had placed it there upon entry. His mind flashed back to earlier that morning in Saitou's office.  
  
He stared at the dark brown folder for what seemed like hours before he had finally admonished enough courage to open it. There inside lay one of the skeletons of his past that he had prayed that would stay buried. forever. He stared at the name on the top of the file as past memories from a life long ago replayed in his mind. A life in which he never wanted to return. A life of evil and darkness. But there was one thing good that came out that evil. There was a beacon of light that had guided him out of the darkness many times. If it was not for that light he might not have been saved by Himura. He might have killed Okina and he would have never made it back into Misao's heart.  
  
Mai Ying.  
  
He had met her during the time in his life when he had been searching blindly. When he had been training himself to become the best. She had cared for him, brought him back from death many times and she had risked her own life for him in the process. She had loved him. But he was not to be loved. He was cold, hard, and cruel. He only took solace in her body when he needed to, nothing more. He had treated her as if she was nothing more than a beautiful geisha girl to sate his lust after a battle.  
  
She was beautiful, caring, sweet, had beguiling dark chocolate brown eyes and skin as soft as the Chinese silk that she often wore. She had tried to make him see the error of his ways. She had tried to get him to change. When he had waked up from nightmares shamelessly crying for Hyottoko, Beshimi, Shikijou and Hanya, she had held him in her arms and rocked him silently whispering sweet endearments until he had fell back to sleep.  
  
He remembered the day when she had confessed her love to him. The monster that he was had left her crying and broken upon the grass covered ground as he had walked away from her never to look back. He had regretted that day many times. He still had nightmares from it. She reminded him so much of Misao. When he had first met her he saw the brightness and love within her eyes and she did not even know who he was at the time. She had treated his broken and blood soaked body risking death from the neighboring warlords by secretly housing him within her home. It was not until later that he had learned of her combat skills. She had told him that she was once a hired assassin, but she had chosen to leave that life behind her and become a farmer.  
  
He had gone to China to learn some new fighting skills and decided to practice them out on the neighboring warriors of the village warlords. She had found him after a fierce battle and had brought him back to life and taught him a few skills of her own. His life with her was what most men dreamed of having but he was not most men. He was Aoshi Shinomori, leader of the Oniwabanshuu. He was not allowed to be happy. He had a mission to complete. He had to win the title of the stronger and the best for his fallen comrades who had died because of him.  
  
When she had told him that she loved him and begged for him not to leave, he had spoken coldly to her and called her a whore. He saw the pain in her face and it hurt him deeply but he made himself even colder. So cold in fact that it was as if he was watching a doppelganger of himself from far away.  
  
She had cried then and he had blocked out her words, turned on his heel and left. It was the last he had seen or heard of her until today.  
  
Now according to the information in the folder, she was now leading one of the most profitable opium trades in the known world. What had happened to the beautiful young woman who had told him that she had seen too much blood shed and had settled down to become a farmer. He knew what had happened. He had happened. It was his fault that Mai Ying had decided to discard everything. What had he told her that day? Yes, he remembered it clearly. He was staring down at her sprawled out on the ground. "Aoshi, you can't go back like this. There is still good within you," she pleaded. He had simply replied in a voice so devoid of emotion, "The little bit of good that was within me, ceased to exist before I ever came to know of you." "That is not true. I know it is not. I know that you care for me."  
  
"I did not. I only pretended to."  
  
At the fallen look upon her face he was someone possessed by the devil to go further with his cold words and to hurt her even more.  
  
"I pretended to care in order for you to care for me. Tell me, would you have risked your life to house a complete stranger that showed no concern for you?"  
  
Upon the crest fallen look upon her face he had turned to leave while she screamed at him.  
  
Now she had gone back into a life that she had vowed never to return to, because of him.  
  
Also within the folder was Nitsugi. Mai Ying's former master. Nitsugi was known far and wide for training some of the best ninjas in the world and Mai Ying had been his prize and joy. She had informed him while he was with her that in order to leave him she had to fake her own death. Now she was not using an alias and going by her real name. He was sure that Nitsugi had heard of her by now, especially if Saitou had found out about her. What was Mai Ying thinking? Surly she knew this. He had to reason with her. He had to reach her and bring her back from the darkness before it consumed her completely. He had to return the favor.  
  
******** ********** ************** ************ ************* *********  
  
Misao tried her best on focus on dinner but her mind kept wandering back to Aoshi. Yahiko, Tsumbame, Yutarou and she had come to a western style restaurant in town for dinner. They were all seated at one of the western style tables with chairs. As their dinner was brought to them her mind focused back to Aoshi again. What was he doing? Saitou had told her that he was coming here, but why? She had taken his advice and had gone away to give herself some time to get over him and what did he do? He followed her.  
  
'Damn him! Damn damn!'  
  
"Misao?"  
  
Misao was startled out of her thoughts of the tall dark handsome ninja only to be faced with the face of a sweet handsome young man that sat across from her.  
  
"Yutarou."  
  
"Are you alright. You were making some very angry faces a few seconds ago. Are you still mad at me?"  
  
"No," she said waving her hand in front of her, "I am not."  
  
"I was just thinking about something, Yutarou."  
  
"Boy I am sure glad that I am not the something that made you mad," he said jokingly. "You were making some serious faces there."  
  
Misao laughed.  
  
"I though you were beautiful when you were angry, but you are even more beautiful when you laugh," he said breathlessly.  
  
Misao stopped her laughing at his serious statement. She stared at him thinking, 'God, how I wish Aoshi would say something like that to me.'  
  
She stopped the thought as soon as it came and mentally berated herself for thinking of Aoshi when it obvious that Yutarou was paying her compliment because he liked her. She liked him to, but not in that way. True, he was handsome and sweet but she could not forget Aoshi so soon. She was physically attracted to Yutarou but that was as far as it went. Still that did not mean that she could not have a little fun, right?  
  
She smiled at Yutarou and thanked him for the compliment still blushing profusely. Many men had complimented her on her looks since she had become a woman and she always found herself wondering why the person whom she wanted to compliment her the most had not.  
  
She took a slip of wine from her cup and glanced around the room. At the far end of the room she spotted the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Tall, dark skin, almond shaped eyes and long sleek black hair hung down the back of her red silk dress with gold embroidery shaped like a dragon. She was stunning. Every man in the room eyes fell upon her. The only reason Yahiko and Yutarou had not notice was because their backs were to her. She and Tsumbame were facing the woman while they all sat at the table.  
  
'With a woman like that in town, no man was safe,' she thought to herself silently.  
  
Misao watched her as a western man came to sit beside her. What shocked her most was when the lady placed her finger into her cup then closed her eyes and placed the finger in her mouth.  
  
Misao's mouth dropped open at the blatant sexual gesture.  
  
Yutarou seeing that her attention was focused elsewhere again and not on him turned in his seat to see what she was looking at. When he turned around all he saw was a western man sitting in his seat with a dumbfounded look upon his face. Was that what Misao desired? Did she wish for a western man? He would have to go out and buy himself some western attire.  
  
Misao saw the woman get up to leave, then pause for a brief moment and then she exited the restaurant.  
  
Misao closed her mouth and quickly looked around the room. Yutarou had turned in his seat, no doubt to see what she had been looking at.  
  
She tried to focus her attention back on him for the rest of the night, but to her regret her mind still wandered back to Aoshi.  
  
******* ***************** ***************** ***************** **********  
  
Mai Ying walked towards the Akubeiko inn humming a tune her grandfather used to hum to her when she was a little girl. Before Nitsugi. Nitsugi had come upon their village like the plague. Killing everything in sight. Her grandfather, grandmother and mother had been killed before her by the ninjas of Nitsugi. Nitsugi was a half Japanese half Chinese tyrant who had ruled the region of China where their village resided for many years. As long as her village offered him food and livestock that they had raised he offered them protection, but one day that protection ended. She did not know why but it had and Nitsugi had come and killed everyone in sight. He had killed everyone over five years old and took the remaining children to be trained as lethal killing feigns. She had been one of those lethal killing monsters. She had killed countless men and women, but she could never kill the children.  
  
They were innocent. Just as she had been. True most of the women and men she had killed were innocent as well, but she had only been ordered to kill them when they had tried to cheat Nitsugi out of his profit. She was his prized assassin, but she grew tired. She knew that there was more to life than the constant killing. When Nitsugi had brought her to his room one day and declared that she would have his child, she all but bolted right then and there. The last thing she wanted was to become one of his wives. She would kill herself before she let that happen. After much thought she decided to kill herself, but she would fake her own death. Being skilled in medicinal herbs she knew of one herb that could slow the beating of the heart down so slow that it appeared as if the person had died. But there was trick. Someone would have to administer the antidote to speed her heart back up before her heart slowed and stopped. She found that individual. There was an old man in one of the villagers that they governed. He had vowed to help her escape. So she faked her own death and was never heard of again, until now.  
  
She knew that by using her real name Nitsugi would find out that she was alive and come for her. She wanted him to. There was too much unfinished business between them. She had to avenge her family's death and every one who had died by his hands. She had come to a point in her life where she had to dispense of all her demons. She had to wipe her consciousness clean.  
  
As she walked to the inn where Aoshi was staying she felt eyes silently watch her as she walked upon the street. Nitsugi was watching. Good.  
  
************** ****************** *********************** ************ Aoshi decided to get some fresh air to clear his head. If he should happen upon Misao then it would not be his fault. He placed his trench coat on and left his room. He went down the stairs and exited the building when he saw her.  
  
She was walking towards him slowly, purposely. The red silk dress she wore clung to her curves and he found himself once again wishing to be her dress. Her almond shaped eyes finally settled on him and she smiled. It took his breathe away and he was unaware that he had stopped breathing until he had started to feel a little lightheaded.  
  
She stopped some distance in front of him and tilted her head to the side as she let her eyes slide like silk up his body until they settled once again on his face.  
  
She smiled again, this time with longing and sadness.  
  
"Aoshi Shinomori, we meet once again."  
  
************* ******************* ****************** ********  
  
Well guys, here it is.  
  
The next update should be in Feb. I know I stated that the next update would be in Feb, but I had to go ahead and post this. I will respond in the next story to every one who reviews this chapter. Big Shout Out to Number 9! Thanks for the compliment.  
  
Thanx to everyone for their reviews!!!!!!!  
  
I love you!!!!  
  
Shadiyaray! 


	8. Toxic

Disclaimer. I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.  
  
Chapter 8 * * *This* means the word is italicized. * * * * *  
  
* * * *TOXIC *  
  
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The soft rusting midsummer wind hinted with the smell of cherry blossoms blew melodic whispers to Mai Ying causing memories of a time long past clearer than sand spun into glass to infuse her reality.  
  
Everything around them seemed to fade as she stared at the man who would always have a piece of her that she would never give to anyone else. Unshed tears blurred her vision and she struggled mentally within herself willing them away. She wanted to close her eyes and get control of herself but she was not allowed that luxury at present. She did not wish to show any signs of weakness to Aoshi nor to her viewing audience that was hidden more than fifty or more feet away watching her.  
  
Nitsugi was watching her.  
  
She knew he was. The hairs on the back of neck were standing up. Nitsugi always caused that effect on her, but in truth it could have been anyone that wanted her dead.  
  
When she saw Aoshi her stomach started to feel funny. It was the same feeling she used to experience when she was nervous about something only this was intensified. Why was she still nervous around him? She should be over him. It should not feel like this. She felt giddy, sad, irate, joyful, and revengeful. So many emotions were assaulting her at once that she felt a muscle in her right jaw switch.  
  
Aoshi saw a torrent of emotions cross her porcelain features. If it was possible she was even more beautiful than he remembered. It was like watching some erotic dream of his come to life. He wanted to go to her and pull her into his arms and kiss her senselessly.  
  
Misao.  
  
'Where the hell did that come from?' He thought. He was looking at one of the most beautiful women that he had ever seen and Misao had come into his mind. Misao was beautiful as well, but she was a classic beauty. Mai Ying was exotic. Everything about her was. Her hair, her eyes, her features, her smile, and the way her hips swayed against the silk dress she wore when she walked. She had a determination in her eyes that told anyone that she would get whatever she desired. But he must not think that way. He was on a mission. He could not let his desires get in the way. He tried in vain to push them to the very back of his subconscious mind and focus on the mission at hand, but they expectantly kept rushing to the front.  
  
Should she speak first? As always he had that damn cold expression upon his face. Was it a façade? Was it real? Was he really that cold?  
  
No.  
  
She knew that he was not. He had awoken many times during the night crying from nightmares of his fallen comrades and the girl named Misao. Mai Ying had tried to not be jealous of the faceless woman that Aoshi sometimes called out to in his sleep. When she asked him about her, he would only say that she was but a small child when he had left her. That was all.  
  
She often prayed that he would show that much emotion and affection for her. She had once believed that he was in love with her, but somehow everything had changed within the blink of an eye and he was back to that cold hearted ruthless man that she had seen slaughter fifty or more thugs the day she first met him. What had happened? She could not let her thoughts be intruded with dreams that never had a chance to lift one inch off of the ground.  
  
This was business.  
  
She needed his help. He was the only person that she could count on to be exactly what she wanted them to be.ruthless. She took a deep breathe but remained motionless. She walked closer to him and saw the curiously in his ice blue eyes. She smiled shyly letting her training, when she was with Nitsugi take complete control.  
  
"Aoshi Shinomori. Long time no see. I would ask you how you have been, but to be perfectly honest, I could care less."  
  
Aoshi knew she lied. He saw the emotions displayed across her face a moment before she gained control of them. The woman that now stood before him was pretending to be as cold as he pretended to be.  
  
"Mai Ying. How have *you* been?"  
  
She smirked. "Fine." He wanted to say that he could defiantly see that, but he did not.  
  
"I hear that you have been busy these days," he replied instead.  
  
"Yes. I have. "  
  
"Is it true then? Are you really tied into the opium trade?"  
  
She stared at him as if trying to uncover something within the dept of his eyes.  
  
"Who wants to know?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Are you sure? Is it Shinomori who wants to know or Fujita?"  
  
Aoshi inwardly smiled at that. She knew that he had been talking to Saitou or Fujita as she knew him to be. Her secret intelligence was very good. No doubt she had spies all over the city. Someone had been watching him ever since he had arrived in the city. Someone was watching them both right now, but this was not the same person or persons that had been watching him earlier. This was a threat. A warning sounded off within his head.  
  
"*I* want to know."  
  
"Then the answer is yes. I am."  
  
"Why?"  
  
She laughed at his question. "As if you care."  
  
He did not miss the subtle venom in her response.  
  
"Why did you seek me out?"  
  
"I didn't."  
  
He raised an eyebrow at her as if to say, 'oh please.'  
  
"Ok, I admit that I did seek you out, but not for the reasons that you think that I did."  
  
"And what reasons are those?" He asked.  
  
She took more than a few steps forward until she now stood no more than a breath from him. So close in fact that he could smell jasmines. She always smelled like jasmines. Sweet and seductive jasmines. Aoshi was becoming intoxicated with her smell. Jasmine cologne on any other woman would not smell like this. Her natural scent combined with the aroma seemed to be emitting powerful pheromones.  
  
Mai Ying did not know what she was doing. She was drawn to him. His eyes were calling to her. They seemed softer somehow. Not as hard as they had once been. She had done her research on him to find out that he had changed a lot since they had last met. She walked towards him as if she was being drawn in. She wanted to taste his lips. She wanted to touch him to make sure that he was indeed real. She was intoxicated. Her hormones were going hysterical. When she was within a breath of him, she felt such massive strong alluring power emanating from him that she was starting to become dizzy with excitement. She was slipping and being drawn in further.  
  
"Aoshi," she whispered breathlessly.  
  
He only nodded in response, too intoxicated to respond. To anyone walking past them on the street it would seem as if they were two young people who were desperately in love.  
  
They both stared with such intensity into one another's eyes, that Mai Ying felt as if she would black out from it.  
  
She leaned in closer towards his lips for just a taste but the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end warning her. She knew that he felt it too.  
  
She continued to speak in breathless whispers, "you know those feelings that you are feeling just now?"  
  
He only nodded still entranced.  
  
"Those feelings are the reason that I was talking about. I did not seek you out for those. This is purely business not pleasure."  
  
"Liar," he said as he took a quick step back from her.  
  
She smiled and did the same only she raised her right hand and caught an arrow that had been aimed for her solely. If it had hit its mark, it would have hit her in the right arm.  
  
She smelled the tip cautiously and found it to be tipped with poison.  
  
Nightshade.  
  
There was only person she knew that used nightshade poison on the tip of their arrows and it was not Nitsugi.  
  
There was not enough to kill her but enough to render her immobile for a while. It did not smell like pure Nightshade. It had been watered down a quite deal. No doubt the pain would be intense. Meant to make her suffer more than anything else. Aoshi had taken out his kodachi's and was screaming at people within the street to run and take cover. People in the street were screaming causing Mai Ying to have to concentrate harder in order to hear the next arrow. She heard it just in time and narrowly missed it as it landed some inches away from her right leg.  
  
She looked towards where she assumed the arrow had come from and blew a kiss to her known assailant. Then she quickly ran towards the inn that Aoshi had come out of. Aoshi looked towards Mai Ying to see her blow a kiss towards whomever it was that was trying to maim her. Ninjas did not work this way. It was not Nitsugi. This was someone else who wanted her dead. A bounty hunter or a mercenary perhaps hired by her competition and judging by the stealth of their foe, he was skilled. He watched her again. It amazed him how much her demeanor had changed. She was completely a different person from the one that he had known. She seemed to have this crazed look within her eyes. He followed after her as she ran towards the inn where he stayed. Once inside he surveyed the surrounding area and found that no one was injured. Who ever it was had aimed for her only.  
  
He could not tell if the assailant was still there or not from his current position. He would have to wait it out. He looked across the courtyard to see Saitou and some policeman trying to get the situation under control. Aoshi motioned to Saitou to not pursue him. Saitou nodded.  
  
Aoshi turned around and walked into the lobby of the inn to find Mai Ying, with her back against the wooden frame of the front desk, arms folded across her chest, watching him with curiosity.  
  
He tried his best to not let his eyes wander as he passed her to sit down within one of the plush European style chairs in the lobby. He sat with his back to her, denying himself the temptation. He waited for her to follow.  
  
She did not.  
  
When the silence became too much for even him to bare, he spoke first.  
  
"So, where were we?"  
  
Mai Ying smiled sadly. She was glad that her assailant had chosen that moment to intercept. She did not know what she would have done if she had kissed him. She had to get control of herself. She stayed with her back against the wooden bench. She could not allow that to happen again. She searched the inn visually and then mentally using her talents and found no one within the lobby. She spoke in whispers that she knew that he only could hear.  
  
"I was going to ask you if you would join me."  
  
"No doubt you know that I do not care to be within that company again."  
  
"Yes, I do. But you misunderstand me. I am not in it this for profit. At least not in monetary value."  
  
"Then why are you in it for?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
Mai Ying took a deep breath and hoped that he would believe the lie she had made up to get to him.  
  
"I am in this to take down Lewis Cooper and Yumemaru Kinoshita. Lewis Cooper is the connection who channels the opium to the West. Kinoshita is the eastern dealer who supplies the opium to Cooper as well as to many within the eastern territories. I want to put Kinoshita and Cooper out of business. I remember the time you spent with Kanryu Takeda and I knew that you were much more experienced in your dealings with opium dealers than I am. I wanted to ask for your help. At present time I have gotten my name out there by dealing with little known Opium dealers but I have yet to meet Cooper or Kinoshita. I have not sold any opium on the streets. I buy it from dealers and then pretend to sell it back onto the streets."  
  
Aoshi was surprised. Saitou had not told him this. Possibly because he himself had not known. She was working undercover, but for whom and why?  
  
"Why are you doing this? Who are you working for?"  
  
Mai Ying smiled deviously. He was buying it.  
  
"A very close friend of mine's died from an overdose of opium," she said trying to sound remorseful.  
  
"It was given to her by Kinoshita. She was in love with him and he had killed her purposely because she had refused him one time too many times. Her letter reached me too late and when I had arrived, she was already dead. It was then that I was approached by two men within the western and eastern governments. They needed someone to go undercover for them within both fronts. Someone with some type of military background. So they asked me and I accepted. I knew that by using my real name that I would draw Nitsugi out as well"  
  
Now here was at least part of the truth, "I am sure that he became enraged when he found out that I was alive. I want to put a stop to him as well. I should have done so before, but instead I was weak. I left him still very much in power and no doubt he has made everyone around him lives as miserable as he made mine." Mai Ying thought about Nitsugi and saw red. She really did want to end his life as well. That much was very true.  
  
"So what are you going to do, kill three birds with one stone?" He asked.  
  
"Not quite. I want to resolve any bitterness between us. I must admit to you Aoshi that the day that you walked out of my life is a day that will always remain in my mind and I hated you for it. You were the first man that I let in. I was broken when you left me and I had eventually gotten over you with the help of a friend." 'At least I thought,' she spoke to herself.  
  
"Will you join me Aoshi?"  
  
Her question sounded like a plead. He knew that he was going to help her, there was no doubt about it. Part of his conversation with Saitou replayed in his mind.  
  
'I need you to make her fall in love with you again Aoshi. That's the only way that she is going to let you in.'  
  
Was that the only way? She had let him halfway in now. He did not fully believe her story about the drug-lords, but he would play her game for now. She still had yet to tell him why she was involved in the opium trade, but he did not expect her to be truthful with him. Did he want to hurt her again? Before he could answer that question he answered her question.  
  
"Yes Mai Ying. I will."  
  
She smiled sadly at his back that was still facing her. It would be so easy to just go up to him and finish part of her personal vendetta, but she had Oh so much more in store for him. She was going to make him suffer as he had made her suffer.  
  
"When I took this job, I convinced myself that I would also come to you and ask you a question that has been haunting me since the day you left." Her vision began to blur and she felt a familiar pain assault her and throb within her chest.  
  
"Oh really?" He asked.  
  
Aoshi waited for her question in silence. When it did not come, he turned to find her gone.  
  
* * * * * * * * NUMBER 9.**** Big shout out to Number 9!!!!!! He is my beta reader and I truly thank him. Thanks Number 9! THANK YOU!!!!  
  
ADORKABL3. Thanks for loving my story!!! I hope my update was soon enough.  
  
KAY-SAN1. Unfortunately I have not had the pleasure to be in love yet, but I have come close. If I were in love with someone who did not love me, I think that I would act exactly like Misao too. I am glad that you like the story, and before I am through with this story, I guarantee you that you will cry. I love drama!  
  
NUMBER 9.**** Did I say thank you!! If I did not. Thanks again!!  
  
DIGITAL SIREN.****Thanks. I hope you continue to like them. Mai Ying is my favorite! I have added two more of my own characters so I hope that you will enjoy them as well.  
  
SHILVIGRL/AMYJENC1.*** Thanks! I don't know what 'hm', means?  
  
LEOMAE*** Thanks. I do not know if Aoshi and Misao will be together or not, and if they do end up together, it is going be one hell of a bumpy ride for them.  
  
ZERIANYU ***- Your birthday is in Feb too! I started the month off. My birthday is Feb 1st. You will be 18 huh? That is a good age! I miss it. I will be 26! Happy birthday!!!  
  
THE LAST SAMURAI.*** have not seen 'The last Samurai' with Tom Cruise yet but as soon as I can, I will go and view it. I hear it is very good! I'm sorry for leaving you hanging last time. Actually, no I am not sorry. I like to leave suspense. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
  
CHOCOLATEECLAR-***Hello! Nice name! I hope you liked the chapter. Chocolate is my favorite! I am a number one, Chocoholic! Perhaps I should add some chocolate in my next chapter : )  
  
X.X-*** I agree with you totally, however in order to make the fanfic a quality one, I feel that the writer should take the necessary time to pay close attention to detail, style, grammar, plot, and theme. Now you are really going to be PO'ed because I will probably not be able to update until sometime next March. I will definitely try to update before then because as you so kindly put it, "This is a really good story and im very picky so i dont read things i dont find extremely interesting..." I AM FLATTERED THAT YOU FIND MY STORY INTERESTING!!!! Truly. I do. You really do not know how much it motivates me to complete a chapter early when I hear such good appraisal of my works. I will keep you and everyone else in mind and I will try to find the time to complete the next chapter early. Thank you.  
  
BELLY-DANCER-OF-HIEI***- Your name is so bizarre. I like it!! So your Hiei's belly dancer huh? Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho? If so, please tell Hiei that I am in love with Kurama and I would gladly fly to Japan to meet him so that we can go out. Intelligence guys are so HOT!! Wait, where was I? Oh yeah, Thanks for reviewing! Aoshi is extremely hot to me as well. Don't tell Kurama I said that! 


	9. HaRD To GeT

Chapter 9 * * *Disclaimer... I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.  
PLEAE READ*** The following material below may be a little racy in nature. RATED between PG13-and R. * * * * * *  
  
* **Hard To Get***  
  
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Misao yawned and stretched her limbs with the grace of a female lioness as she woke up to the smell of something delicious that wafted through the crisp clean spring air. She had done a lot of soul searching last night. The more time she spent with Yutarou she realized just how much she was in love with Aoshi. She liked Yutarou but he could never replace what she felt for Aoshi. She had decided that she had given him enough time to figure out what he wanted and since he had made the wrong decision, she would make the right one for him.  
  
She knew he still felt guilty about their friends' deaths and that he carried around this huge burden on his shoulders, but enough was enough. He had suffered far more than anyone should. He had suffered enough and it was now up to her to make him see that. He deserved to be happy and she was going to make him happy even if it killed him. Figuratively speaking of course.  
  
She quickly cleaned up for the day and donned her favorite blue and white kimono and left her room. It was a beautiful day. The sun was the brightest she had ever seen it and the sky was a stunning light blue. She knew today was going to be special. She felt it deep down within every fiber of her being.  
  
"Good morning Misao. I hope that you had a good night's rest," said Kenshin as he greeted her.  
  
"Good Morning Himura!!" Exclaimed Misao. "I had a very good night!"  
  
"Oh? I take it that your new friend was the cause of this?" Asked Kenshin.  
  
"No. But he did make me serious think about something."  
  
"Oh?  
  
"Yes. He made me realize that no matter how much you may try to deny your heart, it has a funny way of siding with your other organs to get you to listen."  
  
"That is very wise Misao. You are becoming more and more grown up each passing day. Aoshi is very lucky to have you, that he is."  
  
"Yes, he is," agreed Misao.  
  
Kenshin was always easy to talk to. Every since the day that they first met she had found it so easy to confide in him. She never hid her feelings about Aoshi from anyone, including Aoshi. Now she was going to truly make it known to him and to every that she loved him and that she was not giving him up without a fight.  
  
"Misao, truth be told and though I feel apologetic towards Aoshi I think I should give the two of you a slight push by telling you that he too has strong feelings for you as well. That Aoshi can be as stubborn as a mule and has difficulty expressing his true feelings at times. While not impossible but nevertheless difficult, you'll have to be patient and take some time on your part to restore him to the man he used to be," said Kenshin. Misao's eyes shined brightly when she heard him say he knew that Aoshi had strong feelings for her as well.  
  
"I know that he has Himura, but what can I do? I have tried everything and nothing seems to work."  
  
"Just leave that up to me and Kaoru," he said with a bit of mischief in his eyes.  
  
"What are you two up to?"  
  
"Nothing," Kenshin said feigning innocence.  
  
"Oh Really?" Asked Misao smiling a little.  
  
"Kaoru invited Aoshi over for dinner tonight. It is going to be a couple's dinner so she invited Sano, Megumi, Yahiko, and Tsumbame as well. Kenji is going to stay with Dr. Kinsu tonight so everything should be fine."  
  
Misao squealed in delight. "Thank you Himura! Thank you, thank you!" Misao grabbed the red headed man and squeezed him senseless and then went in search of Kaoru to do the same. Once she had left, Kenshin let out a deep sigh. 'I hope that everything goes according to plan,' he thought as he turned on his heel to go to the market to get some ingredients for tonight's dinner.  
  
He had sent invitation to Aoshi's hotel early this morning that stated that Kaoru would be terribly upset and heart broken if Aoshi did not attend. Of course Aoshi did not know that the dinner would be a couples' only dinner but that did not matter. As long as he got the man here then their plan had to work. Misao and Aoshi would be together again in no time. The man just needed a little push.  
  
*********** *********** *************** **************** **************  
  
Aoshi had read the invitation and sighed heavily. No doubt Kenshin and his wife had something up their sleeve. They had been trying to play match maker for him for years now. No doubt that Misao would be there as well.  
  
"Misao."  
  
He gently whispered her name and it seemed to give him some sort of peace. How often had he dreamed of running his fingers through her silken strands and staring into those deep bluest green eyes while he confessed and showed his love to her over and over again.  
  
He had to go to see her again, but should he? He was after all on a mission. What if someone would be following him? Did he dare bring danger to Himura's home? He mentally played a picture in his mind of Kaoru's anger if he did not accept her invitation. Aoshi cringed at the mental picture of Kaoru turning into a grizzly bear. Himura had to be a strong man to have married her. Not wishing to incur Kaoru's wrath he decided to attend.  
  
************** ******************* ******************** **************  
  
Everything was literally perfect. Kenshin had shyly convinced Kaoru to let the Akubeiko cater the dinner that night and Japanese lanterns lined the grounds of the dojo to create a romantic evening. A table was set up outside underneath the stars with sitting pillows. Kenshin had placed Sano, Megumi Kaoru and himself on the same side and placed Misao and Aoshi on the other side by themselves. This had to work. This better work.  
  
Megumi and Sano had arrived first. Misao sat at the table with them laughing and talking. She was wearing a beautiful foreign dress she had purchased earlier when she had learned that Aoshi had been invited to dinner. Her dress was of turquoise colored silk, bright and soft as the evening sky. It belled out full from her hips, and all the skirt was embroidered with thin silver threads and seed pearls and tiny crumbs of crystal, so that it glittered softly, like rain in April. Kenshin had sent Kaoru to the table to join everyone while he waited for Aoshi to arrive. There was a light tapping on the door and when Kenshin opened the door Aoshi stood there as stoic as ever.  
  
"Himura."  
  
"Aoshi."  
  
"I hope that I am not late."  
  
Kenshin smiled, "no you are not. Actually you are quite early. I did not think that you would come until the late minute."  
  
Aoshi raised an eyebrow at Kenshin.  
  
"It was a joke my friend. Please come in."  
  
Kenshin stood back to let Aoshi enter inside the dojo. He quickly closed the door and lead Aoshi towards the others.  
  
Aoshi stopped walking midway and just stood staring the table.  
  
Kenshin looked over to see what had caught his eye.  
  
Misao had stood up when she saw Aoshi approaching. A spring night breeze had captured her hair started to play with the unbound long strands. The blue in the dress picked up the slight blue in her eyes and made her seem ethereal.  
  
She smiled at Aoshi and extended her hand for him to join her at the table.  
  
Aoshi seemed to be frozen. When it appeared that he would not move, Kenshin pushed him forward and pretended to not have done so.  
  
Aoshi took Misao's hand and allowed her to help him sit at the table.  
  
He was entranced by her beauty. Was this his Misao? She looked so seductive. He did not trust himself with her.  
  
"Good evening Aoshi," she said with a baritone in her voice that he had never heard before.  
  
He could not reply. He was literally speechless.  
  
"Misao's not a little girl anymore, huh Aoshi?" Sano said jokingly.  
  
Aoshi was jerked from the spell that Misao had placed upon him as he realized that Megumi, Sano, Kaoru and Kenshin were all sitting the table. When did they get here? He thought to himself.  
  
He immediately stood and bowed respectively to Kaoru and Megumi.  
  
"I sincerely apologize ladies; I did not know that you were here."  
  
"Obviously," said Megumi with a hint of amusement in her voice and eyes.  
  
Aoshi blushed if that was possible. He immediately sat down next to Misao again and tensed.  
  
"Let me help you out of your coat Aoshi," said Misao as she stood on her knees and grabbed the lapels of Aoshi's trench coat and pulled it off of his shoulders. She let her fingers absently rung down his shoulders and the effect gained her what she wanted when she felt Aoshi shake a little at the contact.  
  
He was wearing a silk purple shirt and silk purple pants. She wanted to desperately remove them as well, but calmed herself. She did not know what had possessed her. She had never been so bold, but she was determined.  
  
She placed his coat to the side of her so that there would be no barriers between them. When she sat back down she pulled her dress so that the split on the side could be seen visible to him. The split came up halfway to reveal a large portion of her thigh and shapely legs.  
  
She caught Aoshi staring and leaned closed to him so only that he would be able to hear her. "Do you like what you see?"  
  
Aoshi's eyes widened slightly and then he quickly gained his composure and looked away. Misao smiled and turned her attention to what ever the others were discussing. She knew that they were pretending to be immersed in chitchat. She silently thanked them for that.  
  
Dinner was perfect. Misao constantly teased Aoshi and watched his resolve slip inch by inch. By the end of dinner she planned to have him in her hands. Completely.  
  
Towards the end of dinner, Megumi, Sano, Kenshin and Kaoru excused themselves and left the table. Misao did not miss the silent plea for help look that Aoshi had given Kenshin as the man left the table with a hint of a smile upon his features.  
  
The sake that Misao had poured Aoshi was still within his cup. She picked her his cup and took a slip, licking her lips seductively. "Hmmmm, this is good. Do you want some Aoshi?" She asked innocently as she offered the cup to him.  
  
Aoshi was staring at her lips and not the cup. "You know that I have no tolerance for sake, Misao," he replied breathlessly.  
  
"But it is so good. Sano purchased this from a man known to make the best sake in all of Japan. C'mon, just a slip. I'm sure that a slip will not get you intoxicated," she said.  
  
She turned facing him fully and lifted the cup to his lips. Their eyes met and held and Misao felt her heart quicken. Aoshi had never looked at her like this before. There was a fire in her eyes that threatened to consume her. She almost lost her nerve.  
  
"Don't you trust me Aoshi?"  
  
"It is myself that I do not trust Misao," he said.  
  
"I trust you," she said.  
  
He allowed her then to place the cup to his lips and he took a slip while still keeping eye contact with her. He swallowed as his hand reached up gently to take her hand that was holding the cup. He licked his lips drawing her attention to his lips this time.  
  
"Your right, it is delicious."  
  
Misao swallowed a nervous and excited lump in her throat. Had Aoshi turned this around on her?  
  
Aoshi knew what Misao was doing. She was trying to seduce him. What she did not know was that she had already succeeded even before he had arrived here tonight. He drank more of the sake as he watched her. She was tempting him beyond measure. She was a banquet set before a starving man who had not eaten in days.  
  
He wanted to literally devour here. If she knew how dangerous he was to her at this very moment then she would have left with Himura.  
  
"Do you need more sake, Aoshi?"  
  
He gave her his cup for more, knowing that he should not, but he needed something to steady his nerves. He felt as if he were losing control of his emotions. He did not know how many cups he had consumed before he felt as if he were on fire. She refilled the cup again and then took a drink herself first causing a little of the sake to spill down her chin to her neck. Before she could wipe it away, he stilled her hand and leaned in and placed his tongue on her neck. Misao took in a shocked breathe and froze. Aoshi then trailed the path the sake had took upwards from her neck to her chin and then to her lips. He kissed her softly at first and then with more intensity. Misao had never been kissed before and she was completely shocked when Aoshi had started to do so.  
  
Was she dreaming? Surly this could not be happening? She had dreamed of this for so long. She felt his hand in her hair titling her head to the side so that he could have better access at her mouth. She gasped when she felt his hand on her thigh which caused her to open her mouth to which he took advantage and slipped in his tongue. Misao felt as if she were going to explode. She could not breathe. Aoshi pulled back to allow them both air as he rested his forehead on her head. He had to gain control of himself or he would go too far.  
  
He took in quick breathes to calm himself as he closed his eyes.  
  
Misao was still entwined in Aoshi's embrace when his breathing went back to normal.  
  
"Aoshi?"  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Aoshi?"  
  
Again nothing.  
  
She became concerned. She pulled away causing Aoshi's head to fall onto her chest. She blushed red.  
  
"Aoshi?" She asked again.  
  
She looked down to realize that he had fallen asleep.  
  
She sighed inwardly and then smiled to herself.  
  
She had gotten what she wanted.  
  
****I hope you all liked it.  
  
***** A special super duper thanks to my EXCELLENT beta reader NuMBeR 9!! He helped me out a lot with this chapter. THANKS!!!  
  
**** As always a BiG thanks to everyone for their reviews!!!!  
  
SHaDy!! 


	10. Hands Off! He belongs to me!

**The characters of Rurouni Kenshin do not belong to me. Please don't sue, I have no money. Really I don't.  
**_  
_

_Shady here again! Hi guys. I am just editing this story a bit. Nothing much has changed really in this chapter. I just didn't like the way I ended it so I changed it some. The next chappie will be out soon once I figure out where I'm going with this. _

HANDS OFF!

Aoshi felt like a hundred ninjas had practiced upon his head as he entered the hotel that he was staying in. That was the last and final time that he would ever consume any alcoholic beverages. No matter how beautiful the woman offering it appeared to be.

No.

That was not true. He would do anything the beautiful woman asked him to do if the beautiful woman was Misao. Memories of last night invaded his head and he smiled inwardly. His head hurt too much to use all of the muscles within his face to smile physically. He went straight to his room and immediately lay down upon the western styled bed. He had barely closed his eyes a minute when he realized that he was not alone. He absently felt for his kodachi's and realized that he had left them at Himura's.

_Idiot!_ He berated himself mentally.

Before he could react, he felt a light weight upon his chest. He opened his eyes and quickly flipped over placing the intruder down upon the bed with himself on top pinning down their wrists.

He knew who the intruder was the moment the soft weight had rested upon him.

Mai Ying.

She smiled saccharinely at him.

"Hmmmm Aoshi. I did not know you were into bondage."

When he did not respond her smile faltered. "How did you know it was me?"

"Jasmines," he replied.

Her smile brightened again. "You know, I make sure I smell this way for you. Didn't you always say that you liked the smell of jasmines?"

His eyes turned colder upon her as memories of a time that he had chosen to forget flooded his senses. Every time he looked at her he was reminded of what he had willingly let himself become.

"Brrrr," she said as she physically shook her shoulders.

"It cold in there," she nodded towards his eyes.

"Want me to warm them up?"

Aoshi released her and got off the bed. He did not need this right now. His head hurt so bad that he could not think straight. He knew that he was supposed to be under cover and making her fall in love with him so that he could get the information, but he had always been this cold with her. There should be no reason for her to think otherwise, even now. He walked towards the door and placed his hand on the handle and turned suggestively towards her.

She rose up on her elbows causing her midnight black hair to hang like a shower of silk behind her. She wore another beautiful mandarin styled dress in blue that showed off her beautifully muscled legs. She was a vision of steaming hot desire as she turned seductive smoky eyes to him and pouted.

"Damn Aoshi, you are no fun these days. I remember a time not long ago that you would have had me begging for more by now."

"Not today Mai Ying," he said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

She let out a deep sigh and left the bed. She approached him and raised her hand to her head.

"Ohh poor baby. Do you want me to make you feel better?"  
Aoshi removed her hand and opened the door signaling for her to leave.

"O.K. You don't have to tell me twice," she said as she began to leave his chamber.

She stopped midway as if in deep thought. "Oh, wait. You did have to tell me twice."

"Oh well," she said as she let out another deep breath. She turned around in the hallway and raked him over with a very intense glare. "I'll let you rest for a while, but then I am coming back. I need to speak with you about something important."

He continued to stare at her with the same cold eyes. Inwardly she cringed at the look he bestowed upon her. She felt her heart breaking once again.

Something to her left caught her eye. She moved in close to Aoshi pretending to brush something off of his collar as she moved in slowly for a kiss.

He wanted to pull away immediately but if he did she would surly suspect something. So he let her take the kiss where she wanted it go. He could not say that her kiss did not stir something within him because he would be lying. He did feel something from it but it was just plain lust and nothing more. Not like he had felt when he was with Misao. Mai Ying continued to kiss him deeply for a while longer and then she pulled back.

She looked towards her left and tried to blush. "Oh, I'm sorry. I did not know that anyone was standing there."

Aoshi frowned and turned his glaze to the left of the hallway and literally froze. Standing there with a look of pure pain and shock was Misao.

She was wearing a beautiful kimono and her hair hung loose to cascade in waves down her back.

Before he could speak Misao pinned him with her angry hurt filled glaze and stopped any words that he was about to utter.

She looked back towards Mai Ying and spoke.

"Who are you?"

"I am Mai Ying. Who are you_ little_ girl?"

Mai Ying knew who the young lady was the moment she spotted her standing there in the hallway. She studied Aoshi's reaction and found it very interesting. There was no doubt that this was Misao. This was the woman-child that Aoshi was in love with.

Misao hesitated for a bit and then her eyes narrowed angrily on Mai Ying.

"I am Misao."

Mai Ying simply smiled.

"Well, Misao. As you can see, we were in the middle of something."

"Oh?" Misao calmly asked.

Aoshi remained speechless. He watched Misao and noticed that she had become too calm. She usually started yelling and screaming at situations like this. Not that he had ever been in a situation like this before but it was common knowledge that Misao could never keep her cool when it came to him.

Misao had counted to ten at least a dozen times. The beautiful woman from the night before that she had seen in the restaurant was coming from Aoshi's room! She had nearly gone into berserk mode, but she stopped herself. She was going to prove to Aoshi that she was an adult.

"I apologize," Misao said a little too sweetly.

She started to walk towards them in the hallway and then stopped once she had come to Aoshi's door. She looked Mai Ying up and down with restrained disgust and turned to face Aoshi. She handled him his Kodachi's.

"You left these last night."

"Thank you Misao," he said as he intently watched her ready for the bomb that was Misao to go off, but she never did.

Aoshi felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. She was just too damn calm.

"No. _Thank you_ Aoshi," she said as desire entered sea green eyes that had darkened into a deep blue.

"I had a _very very_ good time last night. I hope that we can do it again." With that said Misao pulled Aoshi downwards to her awaiting lips and kissed him so deeply that he was not even aware that he had dropped his weapons until the kiss ended.

Misao smiled sincerely at him as he blinked a couple of times trying to dispel the lust filled haze that engulfed him. Aoshi had never felt so horny. He wanted to melt into her and take her on the very spot. He had forgotten that Mai Ying was still there. Misao was all too aware that Mai Ying was still standing beside them.

Misao took a step back.

She could clearly see the dazed looked within his warm eyes and inwardly did a cheer. _"Gooooooo Misao!"_

She knew that she had Aoshi. His actions said it all. The woman on the side of her had no chance.

"Well. I will see you around Aoshi," she said as she turned to leave.

As she departed she whispered six words for Mai Ying's ears only.

"Back off. Aoshi belongs to me."

Mai Ying didn't bother or saying goodbye to Aoshi instead she turned to follow Misao towards the stairs.

"Is that a challenge?"

"What do you think?" Misao asked confidently.

Mai Ying smiled again. The girl sure had spunk. "Challenge accepted."

Misao then turned and quickly left the hotel.

To say that she was peeved would be an understatement. She was beyond angry and most of her anger was with Aoshi. How the hell could he leave her and let that…that…that _woman_ kiss him! URG!

She was fuming and cursing under her breath as she continued to walk through the streets of the busy city. Part of her wanted to cry. When she saw Aoshi standing there letting that woman passionately kiss him she heard and felt her heart breaking simultaneously. How could he betray her like that? Of course the woman was beautiful…no bump that, she was _gorgeous!_ How was she going to compete with that? She mentally asked herself, what man wouldn't let _the beautiful temptress _passionately kiss them? Aoshi, that's who and the reason why, was because _he_ belonged to Misao. He shouldn't want other women to kiss him. She knew that he had felt something the other night. She saw it in his eyes and felt the chemistry between them both. What happened? Even when she had kissed him in the hall way she could see that he was affected by it. Misao had a strange feeling about the woman as well. She looked like trouble and she seemed to know Aoshi. From where and when was what Misao had to find out.

She stopped walking and realized that she had ended up at the police station. She knew that Saitou or Fujita as he was now known was staying at this location for the time being. She instinctively knew that Nimbu's wolf was involved in this somehow and he was going to give her answers.


	11. It Must Be Love

"Sir, I tried to stop her!" yelled one of the police officers from behind Misao as she pushed the door of Saito's office open and hurriedly slammed the glass door behind her. Saito was seated behind his desk. He raised an eyebrow at Misao and raised his right hand signaling to the officer that it was ok.

He stood up and gestured to one of the two seats in front of his desk. "Please, have a seat Ms. Makimachi."

"Oh please Saito, cut the crap. How about you tell me what you have Aoshi doing and I'll promise not to hurt you."

Saito came forward and sat on the edge of his desk facing her as he took out a cigarette from his top pocket. "I don't know what you're talking about Ms. Makimachi." He lit the cigarette with a sliver lighter and before he could take a puff, half of the cigarette disintegrated leaving the other half of it still between his lips.

A slight smile appeared in his eyes as he regarded Misao. She had grown up to become one of the best ninjas he had ever known.

He took the rest of the cigarette out of his mouth and smiled. "If I did have Shinomori on an assignment, then it would compromise his cover if I told you. Surly you, of all people understand that."

Misao took slow deliberate steps towards Saito as she came to stand directly in front of him. She leaned in mere inches from his face. Her eyes held his eyes. "If your secret mission involving Aoshi jeopardizes any hope that we have on finally being together, I'll come back here and give Nimbu's wolf a permanent limp." Her eyes narrowed as she slowly backed up.

Saito looked at her with amusement in his eyes.

It was amazing how much Misao had changed in so short a time. She was beautiful, seductive, and cunning.

Aoshi was going to have his hands full dealing with her and Saito was going to have his hands full, trying to stop her from interfering. Maybe he should employ her as well? He knew that Aoshi was going to be upset about it, but it couldn't be helped. Better to include her then for her to destroy what they've been working on for months. In fact, she would be perfect for a job that he was going to give to one of his female undercover detectives.

"How would you like to be an insurance policy?"

Misao raised her right eye brow in question. "Depends. Is this insurance policy for Aoshi?"

Saito nodded.

"Then I would love to."

* * *

As Misao was walking out of the police station, she spotted Mai Ying twenty feet to her right. She pretended that she hadn't seen her as she walked away from the direction that she was in to go the other way.

"Hello Misao!" She heard the woman call after her. Misao rolled her eyes, stopped and turned slowly to face her. Misao didn't even try to hide her displeasure with the woman. It showed all over her face.

Mai Ying smiled prettily as she seductively walked the rest of the way to Misao. Misao could see all of the men that surrounded them watch her with lust.

Misao didn't like the woman so much that she couldn't see that she was indeed alluring, exotic, and had a body to die for. Did Aoshi desire someone like her?

"Hi Misao. I think that we got off on the wrong foot this morning and I wanted to apologize for my behavior. "

"Well, that's very kind of you Mai Ying, but you and I both know that you meant everything that you said as did I."

Mai Ying smiled. "You get straight to the point don't you? I like that."

"Well thank you, but I really don't care what you like. All that matters is what Aoshi likes. And I will do my best to make sure that that isn't you."

Mai Ying said nothing as she continued to smile. Damn! This woman had spunk. No wonder Aoshi loved her so much.

"Now Mai Ying, if you're excuse me. I have very important business to attend to. You have a good day now." Misao turned around and walked away as slowly and seductively as she could. She needed to go shopping for a new wardrobe for her new assignment.

Sorry for the long wait. I wanted to give you something to read in the meantime. I know that many of you are upset with me for taking so long. My apologies, but the next chapter you won't have to wait for so long.

Thanks!

Shadiya Ray


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